Johnny Byrne

[mezzer]

Afternoon All.

Wondering whether you can help at all? Most of you will remember Johnny Byrne playing for you. I'm helping him get his autobiography together (well everyone else that ever kicked a ball has got one..) and we're wondering if any of you have any recollections of him as a player - good or bad, on or off the pitch, complimentary or not so - that you'd be happy to share.


We want the book to be more than just a list of who he played for and when, and we want it to be a fun, interesting read. So anything you can provide would be great as your memories of watching him play and the games he was in will be a lot different from his recollections as a player. He only remembers the good bits!

Thanks in advance and best wishes.

Mezzer

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Others will recall the details much better, but you will have to get him to tell the truth about his first return to the Goldstone with Sunderland, when he missed a sitter on purpose and winked to the North Stand.

 

[mezzer]

Is that Hans Kraay doing an impression of Budgie in an Oxford shirt??

 

[unnameable]

I remember his winner at Millwall in our 2-1 win in September 1991. He chested the ball down and hit a screamer into the far corner of the net. My only regret that day was the kit we wore.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Is that Hans Kraay doing an impression of Budgie in an Oxford shirt??

Afraid not. In the MULLET stakes, even Budgie has to play second fiddle to Hans! And the shirt is AZ Alkmaar, I think.

 

[Everest]

I picked him up in my taxi years ago from the Amsterdam pub in Shoreham. I did it cheap for him.

Never even got a tip, tight bastard!

Edit: I want a fee if you use that.

 

[unnameable]

He formed a great partnership with Mike Small. Have we had a better partnership in attack since?

 

[dunno]

Great skill, great finisher oh, and great Mullet!!

Seems to have been a legend at every club he played for. Apparently Marc Bircham would wear an old QPR number 10 shirt under his modern-day QPR shirt in honour of Johhny Byrne - his hero when he was a kid.

 

[Superphil]

He did some Podiatry for a friend of mine, needed to sort our some supportive insoles for trainers, Johnny had to phone him back after the consultation to ask him what size shoes he wears cos he forgot to measure his feet.

That's about the best I can come up with.

Oh yeah, my number one Albion player of all time too, if for no other reason than that mullet.

 

[goldstone]

He formed a great partnership with Mike Small. Have we had a better partnership in attack since?

Agree with that statement. They were an exceptional striking partnership.

 

[Albion Dan]

The diving header that was the equaliser at Anfield to make it 2-2 after being 2-0 down in 91 was probably the most personally celebrated goal I can remember in 25years of watching the Albion.

 

[Napper]

remember barry lloyd getting rid for a mesley 125k then Budgie taking sunderland to all the way to wembley

 

[East Staffs Gull]

I seem to recall what may have his been his last appearace for us, in 1996 (shortly after the York abandoned game). It was the last game of the season at Walsall and we were already relegated. He got subbed and then kissed the badge on his shirt before waving to us.

No doubt someone will tell me that I've got it all wrong!

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Anyone else remember when we played away at West Ham and the ball came up to Budgie on about the half way line and he performed this classic turn and left the defender totally bemused.It is the best bit of skill i have ever seen live.We went up with a couple of west Ham fans and even they were on about it afterwards.
Absolute legend and like i have said before on here,I have never been so angry when an Albion player has been sold.

 

[The Large One]

I remember we went to Ipswich for the last game of the season, shortly after Byrne had gone to Sunderland. About half a dozen blokes turned up in red and white striped shirts, wearing blonde curly wigs, singing 'We are Johnny Byrne, said we are Johnny Byrne...'

 

[The Large One]

remember barry lloyd getting rid for a mesley 125k then Budgie taking sunderland to all the way to wembley

Not quite. We got him for £125,000 from Le Havre, and offloaded him for £225,000.

Lloyd really didn't want to sell him, and made a point of dicking Sunderland about, to the point where he didn't turn up to sign the release form, delaying his transfer by a couple of days. Something like that.

 

[The Auditor]

November 1990...Ipswich away hadnt seen an albion away goal for ages..in fact one of my mates had never seen one ! .....Johnny scores in the first couple of minutes...absolute mayhem...my mate lost his golden goal ticket in the celebrations..still claims to this day it was a winning ticket !

 

[pishhead]

Afraid not. In the MULLET stakes, even Budgie has to play second fiddle to Hans! And the shirt is AZ Alkmaar, I think.

NAC Breda

 

[John Byrne]

Remember him scoring in every round of the FA cup for sunderland except the final.....

 

[Lankyseagull]

The diving header that was the equaliser at Anfield to make it 2-2 after being 2-0 down in 91 was probably the most personally celebrated goal I can remember in 25years of watching the Albion.

One of my best Albion memories too!

Was gutted when Byrne & Small moved on.